Poems
by brightdawn56
Summary: Alfred makes it to class late and ends up seated next to the nobody, Arthur. After getting assigned a project together, how well will they get to know each other? And how long will Arthur be able to keep his secret underwraps? Eventual USUK. T for swearing.
1. Chapter 1

"Thank you for deciding to join us Mr. Jones." The teacher said as Alfred walked into the classroom.

"Chill teach, I gotta note." He said handing a slip of paper to the teacher. The teacher read it and hummed in approval.

"Well, we got new seats while you were absent, you sit next to Mr. Kirkland." The teacher pointed to a student in the very back next to the window. Alfred looked at the kid and raised a brow, _I sit next to the nobody?_ He rolled his eyes annoyedly and sat in his seat.

"Alright, as I was saying, the rest of this semester will be dedicated to poetry." Alfred noticed how Arthur's head snapped up from his notebook, "We will be learning the different components of a poem, how to understand one, and how to write them. I want you to spend the rest of this class period writing a poem about yourself. If you need help, that is why you are sitting next to someone. At the end of the period I will chose three people to read their poems then I'll collect the rest of the papers." With that, the teacher walked to her desk and everyone set to work.

"So not cool, how am I supposed to know how to write a girly poem?" Alfred grumbled taking out a piece of paper and pencil. Next to him, he could see Arthur scribbling in his note book furiously occasionally scratching something out.

Alfred rolled his eyes and attempted to start his own poem. _Lets see, I have to write about myself..._

* * *

><p>"Alright, now three people will recite their poems. First is... Mr. Beilschmidt." The teacher said.<p>

Said boy stood up confidently and read off of his paper-

_I am awesome_

_I have a red corvette_

_I can drink 27 beers_

_Mein house is four stories_

_Mein red eyes bore into your soul_

_Mein friends are awesome too_

_But I am awesomer_

With that, the albino sat down. The teacher nodded slowly, "Despite how stupid that poem was, it was not awfully written. Next... Mr. Jones."

Alfred groaned and stood up-

_I'm the hero_

_I'm the star quarterback_

_Everyone likes me_

'_Cause I'm the hero_

_I fight the villains_

_And save the damsels_

_I do all of this 'cause_

_I'm the hero_

Alfred sat down and the teacher sighed, "The same to you, finally... Mr. Kirkland." Arthur scoffed and rolled his eyes. He stood up and recited his poem.

_My past surrounds me_

_Forgive and Forget they say_

_But I refuse to forget_

_Forget those horrible things_

_My future surrounds me_

_Become a doctor they say_

_It will lead to a better future_

_Better for me or for you?_

_My present surrounds me_

_We are the important ones they say_

_What made you better than the rest of us?_

_What gave you the right to put us down?_

_My head is spinning_

_What to remember, What to forget_

_What to want, What to not_

_When will the world stop_

_And start using their heads?_

Arthur look at from his paper at all of the gaping students. He smirked and sat down. "That was excellent Mr. Kirkland, a wonderful poem. Now students, pass your papers forward, Mr. Bonnefoy please collect them from the front."

Alfred didn't even hear the teacher talk, he wa still gaping at Arthur. "Stay like that for long and bugs will nest in there." Arthur said, noticing Alfred staring at him. Alfred promptly snapped his mouth shut and glared at Arthur for being a smartass.

"Of course someone like you would be into something girly like poetry." Alfred shot at him.

"While I admit a lot of poems are cheesy love poems, there are also a great deal of poems that are deep and meaningful. Think of it as a song, except it's not explaining how you just got laid and there's no music." Arthur countered.

Alfred huffed, "It's still girly."

Arthur smirked, "Does that mean the one you wrote was girly as well?" Alfred opened his mouth to retort but the bell cut him off and Arthur stood up to leave. Alfred pouted as he exited the classroom.

* * *

><p>"You will be working with the person next to you on a project for the next week. The two of you will write a poem about your relationship with each other. It must have at least four stanzas and at least four lines per stanza. You will not have time in class to work on this, during class we will be reading a deciphering various poems to help with your understanding of them." She glanced at the clock.<p>

"Class is over in five minutes, you are free for the rest of that time." After that she walked to her desk and did something on the computer.

"So... Wanna come over to my place after school today to do the project?" Alfred asked Arthur.

Arthur raised a brow, "Don't you have football Mr. Star Quarterback?"

Alfred rolled his eyes, "I meant after practice."

"And what am I supposed to do between the time school ends and the end of your practice?" Arthur asked.

"You could just watch us practice." Alfred suggested.

Arthur stared at him for a moment, not saying a word, "I'll bring something to drown out the stupidity."

"Hey!" Alfred pouted.

**Hey guys! Tell me what you think, there will be a lot of poems in this story, but don't worry most of them are from Arthur so they'll be decent. Also, anyone who can guess what happens next gets a one-shot! But I won't accept answers that say ****_their going to Alfred's practice._**** That much is obvious, guess the not obvious. Review please!**


	2. Chapter 2

Since Alfred was courteous enough to escort Arthur to the football field straight from his locker, Arthur didn't have time to grab a book from the library. So instead he sat on the bleachers doodling in his english notebook.

His current doodle was a chibi version of a certain american in an oversized football uniform and a ball too big for him. The boy was smiling childishly and a speech bubble next to him said, "I'm a football player!" Imagining the small boy's high voice made Arthur chuckle.

Arthur started a new doodle, this one was a chibi version of himself. He was hugging big books to his chest and his eyes were downcast. Arthur's smile faded as he looked at his new picture. The child looked like all he wanted to do was get on with his day and not talk to anyone. _How fitting._

"Yo Kirkland! You can come down now, practice is over!" Alfred yelled from the bottom of the bleachers. Arthur sighed and slung his bag over his shoulder, holding his notebook by his side. He climbed down the steps and followed Alfred as he began walking towards the parking lot.

Arthur blinked in surprise when Alfred jumped into a blue ferrari, "_This _is your car?"

Alfred smiled proudly, "Yeah, she's beautiful ain't she?" He said rubbing the car fondly. Arthur just shook his head and got into the car. They were silent for the whole car ride.

When they drove up to Alfred's house, Arthur could only gape. It was a three story, victorian style house, painted baby blue. The inside was just as impressive, the room that they entered through the front door was bare with the exception of a grand piano in the middle. The floors were redwood and the walls were blinding white. There were two arcs in the wall that lead to other rooms and stairs to their right.

"'M home mom!" Alfred yelled through the house. Both teens jumped at the sound of a crash and made a move to help but were stopped by a woman entering the room.

"Hello darling, is this a friend?" She asked eyeing Arthur.

"Project partner." Alfred explained.

"Oh, then I suppose you want to get along then." She smiled as Alfred lead Arthur up the stairs and into a room that could only be described as "american." The ceiling was blue with white stars and the walls were striped red and white.

Alfred sat on the bed and Arthur sat at his desk, "So... we have to write a sappy poem about our relationship."

"Well first we need to figure out where we stand." Arthur said putting his notebook on Alfred's desk and positioning his pencil to write.

"Mortal enemies!" Alfred declared.

Arthur only rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair, "I think that title is best reserved for Braginski. Try again."

Alfred pouted, "How about the superstar and the nobody!"

Arthur scowled, "I'd rather not,"

"I know! How about the hero and the da-"

"Don't you _dare_ finish that sentence if you wish for all of your bones to stay intact." Arthur growled. Alfred pouted and he sighed, "Why don't we spend the next twenty-four hours getting to know one another, then we can judge each other."

Alfred shrugged, "That's fine with me, so what do you want to talk about besides the project?"

Arthur hummed in thought, "First an agreement," Alfred nodded slowly, "You answer one question truthfully and I will answer one question truthfully, agreed?" Alfred nodded again, "Ok, I'll go first, why are you so dead set on being the hero?"

Alfred blinked in surprise, _Why did he want to know that?_ "Well, I guess that I loved super heroes since I was young but I never wanted to be one until I met Madeline." Alfred bowed his head, gaze fixed on the floor, "She was a lot like my brother Mattie, quiet, shy, polite. They stared dating in middle school, but Maddie was constantly bullied. She committed suicide in the seventh grade. Mattie want to too after he found out but I stopped him. Then I promised him that nothing bad would ever happen to him again, that I would be his hero."

Alfred smiled but there was no warmth to it, then he lit up and looked at Arthur, "My turn, what made you become the nobody?"

Arthur raised a brow, "I distanced myself from other students because I had a secret to keep. Students titled my behavior as odd and they titled me as reject soon after. I've always been independent and apparently the kids here didn't like that."

"That's lame, they shunned you because you're different?" Alfred asked, falling back into the bed.

"Yes, that's what idiots with low self esteem like to do." Arthur said, tapping his pencil against the desk.

Alfred raised a brow, "And who do you think has a low self esteem?"

"Gilbert, Francis, and Antonio. Gilbert claims to be 'awesome' but he is scared of being less so he does reckless things to prove himself. Francis is a charmer but nobody goes for that many girls without having a hole that is needed to be filled, without the girls he feels like a nobody, like he isn't special. Antonio is not stupid, he's only scared of being called a nerd by not only the school but by his boyfriend Lovino. All three of them are insecure."

Alfred gaped at him, did his friends really think that way? "How would you know?"

"Francis was my friend in freshman year." Arthur explained, "He wasn't as big of a flirt back then. A hell of a lot happier too."

Alfred hummed, "Hey, you're into poems and shit like that right?" Arthur raised a brow and nodded, "Read me one!" Arthur's eyes widened in surprise.

"But I thought you wanted nothing to do with _girly _poems?" Arthur asked.

"Yeah well, you're going to prove to me that they're not girly!" Alfred said excitedly.

Arthur shook his head and searched his notebook for a poem that wouldn't scar the poor boy, "This one's rather short but it should do in changing your opinion."

_Everyday is the same_

_I wake up_

_I got to school_

_I go home_

_When I wake there's no food_

_At school I am shunned_

_At home it is twice as bad_

_Though I can hardly call it home_

_My home across the pond_

_It's oh so far away_

_The sights the smells all gone_

_Never ever to return_

_This place will never be home_

_Home is love and safety_

_Something this place is not_

_Never a home, this place will be_

_Across the salt pond_

_Is where my heart lies_

_A tiny little island_

_Not a tenth of this place here_

_But it's home nonetheless_

_A home I will never see again_

_Not even the smell of tea and rain in the morn_

_Home, the one place I may never return to_

Alfred cocked his head curiously, "Now explain what that means so that I have a better understanding of poetry." He demanded.

Arthur looked at him like he was stupid, then her repeated very slowly, "Everyday is the same, do you understand that much?" Alfred nodded, "The rest of that stanza explains what reoccurs each day. The next stanza goes into more detail and then it says, though I can hardly call it home. With me so far?" Another nod.

"My home across the pond, the pond means the ocean." Arthur said as Alfred opened his mouth. He nodded and Arthur continued, "I describe what home is, then I say that the place I am in now will never be home." Alfred's brows creased but he said nothing. "The last two stanzas basically say that I miss home but I know I'm never going back."

Arthur finished his explanation and Alfred nodded slowly. "So you're homesick?" It was more of a statement asking for confirmation.

Arthur snarled, "No git, it's just bloody awful in America. I wouldn't mind being away from home if it were anywhere but here." Arthur said, lying to himself. "Alright, your turn to tell me something heartfelt."

"Like what?" Alfred asked.

"I don't know, anything." Arthur replied boredly.

Alfred hummed in thought, then his expression turned into what looked like an inner debate. Eventually he spoke but not without much hesitation, "A few years back, in middle school, before I moved here, me and my bro Mattie were passing the football around in the backyard. I don't remember why but for some reason Mattie got mad at me and threw the ball extra hard. It hit me in the eye. Both of my tear ducts are permanently damaged and if I cry really hard, I'll cry blood."

Arthur stared at him wide eyed and Alfred smiled sheepishly, then something caught his eye, "Hey Arthur, what's that?" He said pointing to something drawn in his notebook.

"Oh... That..." Arthur looked at his doodles from earlier and absentmindedly glanced at his phone which sat next to the notebook. "Crap! I need to get home before my dad flips!" Arthur hastily gathered his things and turned back to Alfred, "Think about our relationship for the project." With that he walked out and ran home.

_Was that a doodle of me?_

**Woohoo! Long chapter update! Did you guys like it? Also, the same thing for this chapter, if you can guess what comes next, you get a one shot. Obvious things don't count. Review!**


	3. Chapter 3

Arthur cringed as his consciousness returned. Pain blossomed in his chest as he hacked out some blood. He sat up from his spot on the floor gingerly and looked around for a clock. Upon seeing it, he quickly stood up and rushed to get dressed, ignoring the agony in his torso. Arthur threw on a black hoodie, grabbed his bag and ran out the door.

He ran the whole way to school and managed to make it to his english class just as the bell rang. He sighed and sat down in his seat with a wince.

"Hey Artie, you ok? You look a little pale." Alfred whispered to him as the teacher spoke.

Arthur only glanced at him and mouthed, "I'm fine," Before returning his attention to the teacher.

"I will put up a poem on the board that one of our own students wrote and I would like you to decipher it for me." The teacher looked directly at Alfred, "And this is to be done alone, not with your partner." The teacher placed a piece of paper under the elmo and Arthur was surprised to see that it was his own poem that he shared with the class only two days ago.

Arthur huffed a laugh and began writing,

_Stanza 1: Everyone tells me to forget the awful things that happened in the past, to just let go. But if I do that, I'm afraid it means I'm accepting it. Stanza 2: Everyone says that getting a doctorate will give you the best life, the most money. But I know people who would take that money from me for their own selfish desires. Stanza 3: I see kids everywhere who think they're better than the rest when it is often reversed. Yet they have the audacity to claim that they are better. Stanza 4: I wonder what I should really forget and what I want my future to be. If you notice, the poem talks about what others tell me, so I wonder, when will people actually start thinking._

Arthur reread his paper and deemed it acceptable. He glanced around the classroom to find that he was the first one done. He let out a satisfied hum and put his paper on the teachers desk who smiled at him warmly.

He took out his notebook and began doodling again. It was chibi Alfred hugging a football to his chest with his knees pulled up to it. He was crying but the tears were shaded in making them look like something other than tears. Next to him was a chibi Arthur who was looking down at him, expression filled with worry for the boy. A speech bubble extended from Arthur saying, "Why do you play something that hurt you so much?"

The notebook was suddenly snatched away from him and he blinked in surprise. He looked over at Alfred who was bent over the book writing something on it. Arthurs brows furrowed in anger for a moment, thinking that he was ruining the drawing, but it cleared when his notebook was returned.

There was now a thought bubble extending from Alfred saying, "Because it's the only thing I'm good at." Arthur blinked in surprise, he was about to ask before Alfred interrupted him.

"Dude, where do you sit at lunch, I didn't see you yesterday."

"You were looking for me?" Arthur smirked.

Alfred blushed slightly, "Not like that! I was gonna tell you to meet at your locker but I couldn't find you."

Arthur rolled his eyes and laughed, "Yes, yes, of course. Well if you must know, I eat in the theater. No one uses that room during our lunch period so I'm there all alone."

"Seriously! You get the theater all alone? That's so awesome!" Alfred said bouncing like a child, "So, uh, we still have the 24 hours of getting to know each other going on so I'm coming to the theater with you at lunch." Arthur raised a brow but made no objections.

* * *

><p>Arthur sat on the stage with his feet swinging off the edge. He sat there alone but he was expecting company. He glanced at the door and sighed, pulling out his notebook.<p>

_Nobody talks to the nobody_

_Sad but true_

_Nobody talks to the nobody_

_So why is he talking to me_

_Of all people_

_It's him, the most popular kid_

_It's because of the project_

_But no_

_English is not all we talk about_

_We talk about me_

_We talk about you_

_We talk like friends_

_But I'm the nobody_

_Sad but true_

_And nobody talks to the nobody_

Arthur felt a warmth on his back and he hastily flipped over the notebook, "Well you took your bloody time."

"Haha," He laughed, sitting down next to Arthur, "Sorry 'bout that, one of my friends wanted to chat."

Arthur's eyes narrowed, "You didn't tell them where you were going did you?"

"Nah, told them I was sworn to secrecy." He replied with a childish smile. Arthur smiled faintly and shook his head. "So! I still have to get to know you Mr. Poem-Man!" He said, stuffing a burger in his face.

"I have a name, git, and it most certainly isn't Mr. Poem-Man." Arthur growled.

"Whatever! So... What's your favorite class?" Alfred asked.

"Art, we get to do basically whatever we want all period. Not to mention it is always relatively quiet in the classroom." Arthur said.

"I didn't know you have art! What period?" Alfred asked excitedly.

"Seventh,"

Alfred thought for a moment, "That's advanced art! My friend Kiku takes it, he says it really easygoing for an advanced class."

Arthur nodded, "We get projects every once in a while but for the most part we draw what ever we want and the teacher looks at it afterwards to give us a grade. What's your elective?"

"Video game design,"

Arthur raised a brow, "Really? I heard you guys are coming out with a new game soon."

Alfred smiled big, "Yeah it's awesome, it's called Dead Island. It's an rpg where this dude's plane crashes and he's the only one who survives. But the island is haunted. The first day, he has to run from the ghosts and find a shelter. The second day he engages with a friendly ghost who is trying to help him, but the ghost only talks in riddles which is meant to confuse and irritate the player. The ghost tells him about an underground passage off of the island in a sort of riddle that you have to figure out. Not to mention that throughout all of this, he has to survive normal struggles in the wild like hunger, thirst, warmth, and he's constantly moving so he needs constant shelter."

"Sounds rather detailed."

"It is, there are like a million different ways to get to the end!"

"I don't get how you can create a video game but you can't understand a simple poem." Arthur mused.

"'Cause my job was the possibilities, another person had to write the story for all of my variables. You can click on almost anything on the island and use it in a resourceful way." Alfred said proudly. Arthur rolled his eyes and started doodling in his notebook. "So how long have you been doodling me?" Alfred whispered into Arthur's ear.

Arthur's whole body jumped, "G-Git," He muttered as he attempted to lower his pulse. Alfred rolled onto his back as he laughed. The bell rang making Arthur stand and leave Alfred alone.

"My place after school to work on the project!" Alfred yelled after him. As his laughter subsided he looked at the door of the theater thoughtfully, What is our relationship?

**And that's the next chapter! Guess what happens next and win a one shot! Review and tell me how bad I did! XD**


	4. Chapter 4

**I am so so so so so so so so so SO sorry it is this late. I've been really busy lately but I know you don't really care so I'll just say the important stuff. This fic will now be updated every Sunday instead of every wendesday. I'm doing this because I can't have two deadlines on one day it drives me crazy. Anyway, I'll stop talking... sorry...**

Arthur was sitting in the bleachers once more. He looked at his doodle from class, Alfred's chibi looks so small and vulnerable yet what he's saying is so... accepting? Despite the sport physically scarring him, he believes its the only thing he can do.

Arthur flipped the page and began a new drawing. He drew himself looking down at Alfred again but this time Alfred was looking up hopefully, tears shining in his eyes, and Arthur had a certain spark in his eyes.

Arthur drew their speech bubbles and paused to think. In Arthur's box he wrote, "You are good at so much more than you think..." In Alfred's bubble he wrote, "Really?" Arthur sighed as he looked a the drawing.

"Artie!" Alfred yelled from the bottom of the bleachers. Said teen received a glare from Arthur.

"If you call me that again, you will find your head not connected to your body." Arthur growled as he got off the bleachers.

"Yeah yeah," Alfred said offhandedly as he led the way to his car.

"Git..." Arthur muttered as he slipped into the car.

"What does git mean?" Alfred asked as he started the car and pulled out of the parking lot.

"I means you're annoying," Arthur said plainly. Alfred pouted as they drove the rest of the way in silence. Once they entered his room, they assumed the same spots they were in the previous night.

"So! We've had a day, what is our relationship?" Alfred asked.

Arthur hummed in thought, "I have an idea..." He began writing in his notebook and after writing four lines he handed it to Alfred, "Write the next stanza similar to mine."

Alfred's jaw dropped disbelievingly as he read the start of the poem. He scribbled furiously then handed it back to Arthur who chuckled at his half-hearted rage. After writing another stanza he handed it back and smiled when Alfred's expression turned into one of surprise.

Alfred glanced up at Arthur before writing and handed it back. Arthur finished it off and handed it back, "There, how does that sound?"

Alfred read it over and smiled, "I think it fits us perfectly."

* * *

><p>Arthur and Alfred stood up, Alfred shifted nervously as Arthur looked bored. "Our poem's called, <em>What are we really?<em>" After receiving a nod from the teacher, he started.

_He's an idiot_

_He's loud_

_He's annoying_

_He's cocky_

_**He's stuck-up**_

_**He's nerdy**_

_**He's anti-social**_

_**He's sarcastic**_

_He can't read the atmosphere_

_And he had odd priorities_

_Yet for some reason_

_I am fond of him_

_**He tries too hard**_

_**And does weird things**_

_**But for some reason**_

_**I kind of like him**_

_Enemies? No_

_**Friends? Maybe**_

_Acquaintances? At least_

_**What are we really?**_

Arthur and Alfred took a bow and sat down. The class applauded with a few whistles thrown in. "Good job you two, A+." Their teacher said once the noise died down. Alfred smile triumphantly and Arthur just nodded. Once the next person started reciting their poem, Arthur stood up and pulled Alfred over to the teacher.

"Can we go to the library?" He asked her.

"Of course, take your stuff, there's only fifteen minutes left anyway." The teacher replied. Arthur thanked her and grabbed his bag on the way out of the classroom.

"Why are we going to the library?" Alfred asked.

"To get out of listen to another poem like Gilbert's..." Arthur said distastefully. Alfred paused before agreeing with a nod.

"What are we gonna do there anyway?" Alfred asked curiously.

"Well you could either read," There was a grown from the sunny blond, "Or you can help me write a comic that I'm planning."

Alfred's eyes lit up, "That sounds awesome! What's it about?"

Arthur coughed in his hand nervously, "Well, it's about two high school students, juniors to be exact, one of them is popular, one of them is not. They become friends and change the student body's viewpoint on popularity. Maybe, it doesn't have to end like that." He said unsurely.

Alfred thought for a moment, "So... Kinda like us?"

Arthur blushed, "No! It has nothing to do with us!"

Alfred smirked, "Oh yeah? What do these two boys look like?"

Arthur blushed brighter, "Like you and me," He whispered, "But that's irrelevant!"

Alfred only laughed, "It's fine if you wanna write about us,"

Arthur scowled, "Fine, but keep in mind this is a complete work of fiction." They sat at a table near the back of the library and Arthur retrieved a sheet of copy paper from his bag. "So I was thinking, before the characters meet we show a glimpse of each of their lives." Alfred nodded and watched as Arthur started drawing. _Oh my god, he draws _everything _in chibi form._

First Arthur made boxes that were creatively placed around the page, then his hand move over to the first box. It hovered there a moment before he started drawing. He drew himself standing behind a counter, taking money from a customer at McDonalds. In the next box he drew himself at home, putting the cash he earned in a jar. In that same box, there was a bubble coming from outside of the box reading, _ARTHUR!_ Arthur flinched in the drawing.

Arthur leaned back in his chair and used the eraser of his pencil to pull his bottom lip down. "So what is your home life like?" Arthur asked.

"Well, mom and dad aren't home a lot. They always seem to be out of business trips. At home it's just me and my twin brother Mattie. Though he's really shy and reclusive so he like to shut himself in his room." Alfred said.

"No pets? No... friends coming over after school?" Arthur asked. Alfred only shook his head and Arthur nodded before bending over the paper again.

Arthur drew Alfred walking into his house, two bubbles extended from him. The top one said, '_M home mom!_, the bottom one read, _Mom?_

The next box was Alfred in the kitchen, holding a note, the following bow being a close up of the note.

_Dear Alfred and Matthew,_

_Your father and I went on an emergency business trip and will be gone anywhere between a week to a month. I left a credit card on each of your pillows with a thousand dollars each. If you need anything don't hesitate to call, just not between the hours of 7 am and 8 pm._

_Love you,_

_Mom_

The next frame was Alfred laying on his bed cradling a football with a delicate frown on his face. Arthur once again leaned back in his chair and looked at Alfred, "Is that about right?"

Alfred's frown mirrored the one in the drawing, "Yeah..." He said softly, staring at the drawing. Arthur smiled slightly and put a comforting hand on Alfred's shoulder. Alfred returned the soft smile before bursting back into his cheery attitude. "So now do they get to meet?"

"Not yet, first I want to draw a day at school." Arthur said. The bell rang suddenly and Arthur scrambled to get out of his seat. He, again, left Alfred alone to his own thoughts.

_His drawing flinched when his name was called..._

**Phew... that's done... Tell me what you think and put your guesses in the reviews! A correct guess earns a one shot!**


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